Patio - contemporary patio idea in Phoenix with a fire pit and no cover

The client wanted a better flow throughout their landscape, as well as introduce straight lines to a space to modernize the irregular shaped pool. Their upper deck was where they did a majority of their entertaining so ensuring this space was large enough for both dining and lounge was the starting point of the design. Introducing privacy from the many on looking neighbours, without completely blocking it off from the rest of their own yard was important. Laser cut privacy screens added this filtered privacy. A round hot tub was added to the back corner of the property, which otherwise seemed like wasted space. Highlighted by the privacy panels in the same pattern used on the deck to create some consistency. Trees were both maintained and added where needs along the property to add greenery and privacy. The entire space now feels open within the backyard, but private from neighbours.

Beyond the dense hedge of Cleyera Japonica lies a very private courtyard which houses the Magnolia Champaca tree. The flower of this tree is used to make joy perfume. David Morello

The backyard features a large stone paved entertaining patio with a family fire pit, a formal pool and spa with lounge areas leading to double pool houses. A wood lattice cover spans between the two structures and featuring an outdoor fireplace, outdoor flat screen television full theater with surround sound. The backyard has two barbecue's. One adjacent to the residence for daily use and a full entertaining barbecue area with a bar, sink, ice maker, refrigerator, outdoor dishwasher (so you don't need to carry all of your dishes so far from the house each time you entertain...all you have to do is push 'wash') and of course a large 'Q' with side burner. On the side yard there is a beautiful formal rose garden with 40 different types of roses for the owner to enjoy with a central fountain and walkways. All of the Ashlar pattern cut stone was cut on site to my pattern, as was the entertaining barbecue back-splash. The Oceanside glass tile was selected to continue the Ashlar pattern concept. All of the pottery came from my friends at Eye of the Day. Gas heaters warm the patios from the covers, as well as, strategically placed gas quick connects around the yard for those chilly evenings. Music fills the yard and patios from discretely placed outdoor speakers. All of my projects are design with full supervision from start to finish. I help select materials, finishes, pottery, tile, plant material, etc... to assure the design is being realized. Photo: Wendy Harper & Ken Palmer

The client wanted a better flow throughout their landscape, as well as introduce straight lines to a space to modernize the irregular shaped pool. Their upper deck was where they did a majority of their entertaining so ensuring this space was large enough for both dining and lounge was the starting point of the design. Introducing privacy from the many on looking neighbours, without completely blocking it off from the rest of their own yard was important. Laser cut privacy screens added this filtered privacy. A round hot tub was added to the back corner of the property, which otherwise seemed like wasted space. Highlighted by the privacy panels in the same pattern used on the deck to create some consistency. Trees were both maintained and added where needs along the property to add greenery and privacy. The entire space now feels open within the backyard, but private from neighbours.

This family in Chatham has been an integral piece of our business development. We took great pleasure in constructing this bluestone patio for them. We used all blue bluestone tiles, all sized the same and laid in a herringbone pattern. The sitting walls were faced with cultured stone veneer and capped with 2" bluestone treads. The custom rectangular fireplace is all gas and has an auto-start control box concealed on the side. The lava rock and blue glass pebbles give the fireplace a cool and modern feel. We had the fireplace and curved sitting wall tops custom cut to achieve the perfect fit. We installed LED strip lighting below the sitting wall caps to provide night lighting. The built-in grill station received a Soho Grey quartz counters. The finished product is a beautiful and modern outdoor living space. We wish this amazing family a lot of good times using it and want to thank them for everything they've done for us! #GreatWorkForGreatPeople

The covered patio has loads of customizations. To start, we built a custom outdoor dining table made of glass, tigerwood, and stainless steel. The outdoor kitchen features a Bull grill and a honed granite counter. A fiber cement alcove was designed to house the television and is flanked by tigerwood privacy walls with cool cut outs that hide LED lights and floating granite shelves to display accessories. There is a ceiling fan for added comfort, pendant lights above the dining table and track lighting in the kitchen and living areas.

The covered patio has loads of customizations. To start, we built a custom outdoor dining table made of glass, tigerwood, and stainless steel. The outdoor kitchen features a Bull grill and a honed granite counter. A fiber cement alcove was designed to house the television and is flanked by tigerwood privacy walls with cool cut outs that hide LED lights and floating granite shelves to display accessories. There is a ceiling fan for added comfort, pendant lights above the dining table and track lighting in the kitchen and living areas.

The covered patio has loads of customizations. To start, we built a custom outdoor dining table made of glass, tigerwood, and stainless steel. The outdoor kitchen features a Bull grill and a honed granite counter. A fiber cement alcove was designed to house the television and is flanked by tigerwood privacy walls with cool cut outs that hide LED lights and floating granite shelves to display accessories. There is a ceiling fan for added comfort, pendant lights above the dining table and track lighting in the kitchen and living areas.

Deck - contemporary deck idea in Chicago

After many years of having no outdoor living space and dealing with overgrown plants and trees the owner’s decided it was time to revitalize their backyard. They knew they wanted a large sitting area with a wood burning fireplace, room for outdoor dining and a place for the grill. A connecting walk would be needed to get guests from the driveway to the outdoor space. Last but not least, the owners wanted the ability to and a reason for stepping out of their unusable patio doors. The designers decided from the start the fireplace would be the prominent feature and focal point for the entire project. A large fireplace accented with sitting walls and arbors was positioned to anchor the corner of the patio. Stone was chosen to set the fireplace apart as its own element. Brick was used for the sitting walls and brick accents were added to the fireplace to tie into the house. An inlaid herringbone brick detail was incorporated above the stone mantle to simulate artwork which is typically found above indoor fireplaces. Flagstone was used for the wall caps and hearth to match the patio and thicker flagstone tread stock was used for the mantle and top. The arbors were added to visually balance the pergolas at the opposite side of the patio. For the patio the designers created a series of offset spaces to help subtly divide the space into two areas, sitting and dining. Two large existing trees also help dictate the shape of the patio. Cut flagstone was chosen for the surface bordered by a double soldier edge of brick. The brick edging also surrounds a decorative gravel area topped with an urn fountain which provides a secondary focal point and the sound of water. Large flagstone treads were used for the steps leading to the previously unused patio doors. Opposite the fireplace a short walk leads to a square transition area with a statue chosen by the owner. The statue provides a strong focal point when entering from the driveway. A longer walk leads from this space along the house to the driveway. The pergolas and arbors were designed by the landscape designer as part of this project but were ultimately contracted separately by the owner. The larger square pergola was intended as an area for a bench or two separate from the main patio. The longer pergola was added later in the design phase to help provide shade to the interior of the house. The arbors at the fireplace were added to balance out the wood elements at the opposite side while adding additional architectural interest to the fireplace. While this project was predominantly hardscaping, planting and lighting were also incorporated into the design. Several large existing trees were retained and serious of smaller understory trees were added to help enclose the space. The designer’s took advantage of the large trees to place down lights on the branches to achieve a moonlight effect at night. Additional lighting was used on the pergola, to accent focal points, to up light the smaller trees and around the patio. Massed planting of Japanese forest grass provides bold foliage color for the shady garden. A mulch path leads off behind the fireplace to another garden and a secluded area ideal for a bench or small table and chairs. Additional plantings were added along the rear property line to screen and unsightly fence. This project has obviously completely changed the way the owners use their backyard. They now have a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors with the use of the patio doors. The large patio allows for entertaining small gatherings outdoors for the first time. The fireplace has definitely become the primary gathering place for family and friends.

Our bendable rods are a highly bendable, multipurpose curtain track system that can be quickly customized to fit any wall shape or ceiling curvature. You can install these rods on the ceiling, wall and even acoustical ceilings (drop ceiling gird panel systems). www.bendablerods.com Our bendable rods are designed for strength and durability. The rods have an I-beam configuration with an embedded metal spine for sturdiness. The metal interior is manufactured in a long sheet or also known as a metal plate and runs the entire length of the rod. This embedded metal allows the rod to bend from side to side while still being stable. The rod is coated with the highest-quality resin which is water resistant. They can bend 90 degrees or more without a splice so the sliders can move freely without interruption. The diameter of a standard duty circular rod can be as small as 12″. The life expectancy of our bendable rods is 20 years! Since the rod is water resistant, it’s able to be used in indoor or outdoor applications. The uses of our bendable rods are numerous. They are an excellent solution for both residential and commercial projects. Our rods are a great solution for drapery and curtain use in homes, hotels, restaurants, boats, photo studios, high-rise curved walls, cubical dividers, bay windows, bow windows, RV’s, curved shower rods, tapestries and much more. For more information, go to www.bendablerods.com For draperies, we work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. The bendable rods can be ordered in our Houzz store online. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

The client wanted a better flow throughout their landscape, as well as introduce straight lines to a space to modernize the irregular shaped pool. Their upper deck was where they did a majority of their entertaining so ensuring this space was large enough for both dining and lounge was the starting point of the design. Introducing privacy from the many on looking neighbours, without completely blocking it off from the rest of their own yard was important. Laser cut privacy screens added this filtered privacy. A round hot tub was added to the back corner of the property, which otherwise seemed like wasted space. Highlighted by the privacy panels in the same pattern used on the deck to create some consistency. Trees were both maintained and added where needs along the property to add greenery and privacy. The entire space now feels open within the backyard, but private from neighbours.

Metric Concrete Construction & Design Inc has partnered up with Digs Living to bring an amazing zen like backyard to center city Philadelphia. This yard was dirt when we started. We excavated and poured a new decorative concrete patio with diamond saw cutting patterns. We built a custom block wall bench with a painted wood seat. We pointed and sealed the walls with a calming cream colored masonry sealer. Digs Living came in and created an amazing landscape with large planters and bamboo stalks. We truly created a new world in down town center city PA.

I visited this property in Lytham St Annes to survey a small Victorian tiled lobby which was in a sorry state. The client was keen to have it restored and wanted to know if it was possible. I discussed with them what we could do, and I gave them a quote for the work. Although it was only a small lobby, I could see the job could be quite involved and would be subject to the replacement tiles which I was confident we could source. This is one of those jobs you wish you hadn’t started as there were a lot more tiles to remove than anticipated and it mushroomed into replacing half the floor. Once the area was cleaned up, I applied a self-levelling compound to bring up the height of the base. Once the levelling compound had set, I was able relay the Victorian tiles using a combination of original tiles and replacements which had to be cut to shape. Cutting tiles to fit is quite intricate and time-consuming work especially when you consider new tiles are all metric in size and a 2mm difference becomes very telling after a foot or so! My solution was to use 150 mm tiles which are the biggest the stockist offers and then cut them down on my Rubi cutter using a template made from the original tiles. This the only way I could get it to look tight, it takes longer but it makes for a thorough job and a better finish. I always use flexible floor adhesive when laying tiles, my preference is Keraquick Grey from Mapei. There are other brands off course but this one is quite easy to get hold of and as the term grouting is a relatively modern invention (in the past it was called pointing ) I find it looks right with this type of tile and similar to the screed cement the Victorians used in the past. After the tiling had been completed, I left the floor to cure and fully dry and returned at a later date to give the floor an overall clean. For this I ran a coarse 200-grit diamond floor pad across the floor lubricated with water and used handheld diamond blocks for the edges where the pad can’t reach. The slurry was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. With old floors like this, which don’t have a damp-proof membrane installed under the floor, efflorescence is always a concern and can lead to white salts appearing on the surface of the tile as moisture rises through the floor. To counter this, I finished cleaning the floor by scrubbing it with Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This was then rinsed off with water and the soil extracted using a wet vacuum. The client was happy to seal the floor themselves (they wanted to save some money and it wasn’t a big area) so I supplied them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. I recommended this sealer as it will enhance the dark colours and being fully breathable it will cope with any moisture rising through the base. I recommended they apply two coats to start leaving time to allow the first coast to dry they could also then decide to leave it at that if they were happy with the finish. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

This family in Chatham has been an integral piece of our business development. We took great pleasure in constructing this bluestone patio for them. We used all blue bluestone tiles, all sized the same and laid in a herringbone pattern. The sitting walls were faced with cultured stone veneer and capped with 2" bluestone treads. The custom rectangular fireplace is all gas and has an auto-start control box concealed on the side. The lava rock and blue glass pebbles give the fireplace a cool and modern feel. We had the fireplace and curved sitting wall tops custom cut to achieve the perfect fit. We installed LED strip lighting below the sitting wall caps to provide night lighting. The built-in grill station received a Soho Grey quartz counters. The finished product is a beautiful and modern outdoor living space. We wish this amazing family a lot of good times using it and want to thank them for everything they've done for us! #GreatWorkForGreatPeople

The Edible Garden Photo: Lore Patterson
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard formal garden in Seattle for fall.

The appeal of this Spanish Colonial home starts at the front elevation with clean lines and elegant simplicity and continues to the interior with white-washed walls adorned in old world decor. In true hacienda form, the central focus of this home is the 2-story volume of the Kitchen-Dining-Living rooms. From the moment of arrival, we are treated with an expansive view past the catwalk to the large entertaining space with expansive full height windows at the rear. The wood ceiling beams, hardwood floors, and swooped fireplace walls are reminiscent of old world Spanish or Andalusian architecture. An ARDA for Model Home Design goes to Southwest Design Studio, Inc. Designers: Stephen Shively with partners in building From: Bee Cave, Texas

Let's just cut right to the chase...that rooftop deck, though. I know, right? Everyone wants to know abou "the cool rooftop deck" on the Aliyah Plan, and if I plan to build any more in SHIFT. Enter The Aria Plan. Think of it as the younger sibling of the award-winning Aliyah Plan, only bigger, with a more evolved design, and yes, that cool rooftop deck. It even has a 4-bedroom version that can be built to suit. There are only a few lots left in SHIFT, so act fast. PHOTOS & PRICING ON THE ARIA PLAN: http://www.jeffclickhomes.com/plans/aria OTHER NEW HOMES STARTING AT $200K http://www.jeffclickhomes.com/homes/ VISIT OUR FURNISHED MODEL HOME! In SHIFT at Silverhawk Saturdays & Sundays from 1-5pm, or by private showing by emailing jeff@jeffclickhomes.com, or calling 405.315.0812.